CHAPTER XXXVII. JAMES BARCLAY’S SCHEME.

 James Barclay presented himself the next day, true to his notice, and demanded ten dollars. Paul was not at home, and the only persons to whom he could appeal were his father, his wife, and Mrs. Hogan.

“I haven’t any money, James,” answered Mrs. Barclay, “except seventy five cents, and that I must spend for medicines for your father, and something for his supper.”

“Where did that money come from?” inquired Barclay.

“From Paul.”

“Number 91?”

“Yes.”

“Just as I thought! He’s got my father’s money, and doles¹ it out to you a little at a time.”

“He says it is his own money.”

“That’s a likely story. When could a common telegraph boy get so much money?”

“He isn’t a common telegraph boy! He is a very smart boy.”

“An uncommon² telegraph boy, then, if you prefer it. By Jove! I think he is that myself. It isn’t every boy of his age who could so pull the wool over an old man’s eyes as he has.”

“He is a very good boy!” said Mrs. Barclay, who[201] had learned to appreciate Paul, though she was at first inclined to do him injustice³.

“So he is—of the kind!” retorted her husband. “If you were not blind you would see that he has got hold of my father’s property, and means to keep the lion’s share of it for himself. When will he be home?”

“Not till six o’clock.”

“And it’s only three. I don’t think I can wait.”

It was fortunate that he did not see the look of satisfaction upon his wife’s face. It would have incensed⁴ him, for his temper, as the reader has had occasion to learn, was not of the best.

“Look here!” he said, after a moment’s reflection, “give me the seventy five cents. I’ll make it do till I get a chance to see this telegraph boy.”

“But, James, I really can’t spare it. I need it to buy some supper and medicines for your father.”

“And I need it to buy some supper for myself!” returned her husband, roughly. “There’s plenty more money where that came from.”

“Oh, James! how can you be so hard and selfish!”

“Hard and selfish, just because I don’t want to starve. I s’pose you’d be glad to read my obituary⁵ in the paper some fine morning, Mrs. Barclay, eh?”

“Shure she wouldn’t read much good of you, I’m thinkin’,” said Mrs. Hogan.

“Don’t be hard on me, Mrs. Hogan. Remember I’ve promised to marry you, if Ellen, here, ever gives me the chance.”

“Shure thin I hope she’ll live forever. She’s welcome to you, though I wish she had a better husband, as she well desarves, poor dear!”

“I’ll come around again tonight,” was James Barclay’s parting assurance.

“Don’t you come if you’ve got any other business to attind to! We can spare you.”

[202]

But James Barclay did come, and was fortunate enough to find Paul at home. There his good fortune ended, however. Paul positively⁶ denied having any money belonging to old Jerry, and as positively refused to advance James any money of his own.

“Do you expect me to believe that story, Number 91?” demanded the visitor with lowering look.

“I don’t care whether you believe it or not, but it’s true all the same.”

James Barclay was silent for a moment, and then, considerably⁷ to Paul’s surprise, went out without further disturbance⁸. The fact was that a new scheme had occurred to him. He was thoroughly⁹ convinced that Paul had his father’s property in his possession. If he could get the telegraph boy into his power—kidnap him, in fact—he would be able to extort¹⁰ from him the money, or learn where it lay concealed¹¹.

“Good evening!” he said; “we shall meet again!”

But James Barclay’s plans were frustrated¹² in a tragic¹³ way. On leaving the house he met an old acquaintance who proposed to him to join forces in a burglary that evening. Barclay was at the end of his resources and readily agreed. He had so often got off scot free that he was disposed to underestimate the danger incurred¹⁴. It was destined¹⁵ to be the last crime in which he was to take part. He was surprised at his work by a private watchman, and fatally shot dying almost instantly.

When Paul read in the morning papers the account of Barclay’s tragic end he was shocked, though he could not mourn for one whose life had been a curse to himself and all connected with him. To old Jerry his son’s death was a positive relief, as may readily be imagined.

1 doles   

救济物( dole的名词复数 )； 失业救济金

参考例句：

• They have accepted doles. 他们已经接受了救济物品。
• Some people able and willing to work were forced to accept doles. 一些有能力也愿意工作的人被迫接受赈济品。

2 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

3 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

4 incensed   

盛怒的

参考例句：

• The decision incensed the workforce. 这个决定激怒了劳工大众。
• They were incensed at the decision. 他们被这个决定激怒了。

5 obituary   

n.讣告，死亡公告；adj.死亡的

参考例句：

• The obituary records the whole life of the deceased.讣文记述了这位死者的生平。
• Five days after the letter came,he found Andersen s obituary in the morning paper.收到那封信五天后，他在早报上发现了安德森的讣告。

6 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

7 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

8 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。

9 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

10 extort   

v.勒索，敲诈，强要

参考例句：

• The blackmailer tried to extort a large sum of money from him.勒索者企图向他勒索一大笔钱。
• They absolutely must not harm the people or extort money from them.严格禁止坑害勒索群众。

11 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

12 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

14 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

15 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。